The last time a HC and GM search worked out for the Phins - In 1969 Robbie signed Shula to a record contract to coach the Fins. The Fins ended up giving up a first round pick as a result of tampering to get Shula. Shula, although young at 39, already had a record of 71-23-4 at Baltimore. He had also been to two championship games. Prior to hiring Shula, Robbie hired Joe Thomas as GM. Thomas drafted Griese, Csonka, Buoniconti, Fernandez, etc In 1972, Bobby Beathard joined Don Shula in Miami as director of player personnel. It was Beathard that targeted and traded for Hall of Fame WR Paul Warfield. Beathard was a key addition to the staff until his departure in 1978. He left to join the Redskins and brought them to three Super Bowls, winning two. In 1975 George Young joined the Fins as director of personnel and scouting. He had previously worked for Shula in Baltimore after Shula recruited him to the pro ranks from his job of coaching high school football. He also was a key member of the Fins staff until he left to the New York Giants in 1979. Pete Rozelle had personally recommended him to be hired to the owner of the Giants. Before Young's arrival the Giants had not reached the playoffs since 1963. He went on to build the Giants into a two time SB winning franchise and won NFL Executive of the Year 5 times. That is how you build a staff. That is a staff of legends. You find the very best guys and you get them on your team regardless of the cost in money or draft picks. That was Joe Robbie.
Outside of Shula, those guys were largely untested when they were hired by Miami, with the exception of Thomas. Thomas was fired in '71, and he took over the Colts and 49ers afterwards, running both teams into the ground. Beathard and Young both made their names after their tenure with Miami. What made this set up work was that Shula trusted Beathard and Young. Beathard was a scout for the Chiefs and Falcons prior to becoming the Director of Personnel for Miami.
I remember Joe Robbie as having been, shall we say, quite frugal with his money. That 's why Warfield, Csonka and Kiick left for the USFL.
If Beathard joined the Phins in 1972 then how did he have anything to with the Warfield trade, which occurred in 1970?
